In conjunction with military movements in the Sirte area and an invitation to the Tobruk Parliament for Egyptian military intervention in Libya, the Foreign Policy Research Institute has published an analysis on the extent of the Egyptian army's ability to fight in the Libyan field.

According to the Foreign Policy Research Institute (https://www.fpri.org/article/2020/07/egypts-military-limitations-cairos-options-to-defend-eastern-libya/), access to western Libya is a difficult task for the Egyptian army, This limits many of Cairo's options.

The report said that the challenge of military access to Al-Jufra and Sirte, in addition to the potential risks of an escalation with Turkey, means that Cairo will likely suffice with a symbolic intervention rather than engaging in actual fighting, and would prefer to leave the defense of Sirte and Al-Jufrah to the Emiratis and Russians.

On Tuesday, Russia expressed clear support for the Egyptian army's intervention in the Libyan conflict.

The First Deputy Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Council of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Jabarov, said that the intervention of the Egyptian army in the Libyan conflict could help restore the Libyan state.

But Foreign Policy Research stated that the Egyptian army is already suffering in containing armed groups in the Sinai, and the Egyptian ground forces may suffer a great loss in Libya if the resistance continues against it.

Long distance and poor coordination

The ability of the Egyptian Air Force to provide air cover is limited due to the long distance, in addition to its weak capabilities in refueling in the air, the misuse of guided munitions and poor coordination, according to the institute.

He indicated that the Egyptian navy might also be deterred off the Libyan coast, due to the presence of Turkish naval vessels.

The article considered that the Egyptian regime prefers to avoid any failed scenarios, for fear of distorting the image that it developed locally as a military force and from which it derives a sense of political legitimacy.

The parliament in Tobruk, in eastern Libya, had adopted a resolution authorizing Egyptian forces to intervene in Libya whenever it deems it necessary to protect the security of Egypt or Libya.

A statement issued by the Tobruk Parliament stated that it renews the welcoming of the statement made by the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on June 20, in which he said that crossing the city of Sirte (450 km east of Tripoli) or the base of Jafra, which is to the south, is a red line for Cairo.

He called for concerted and united efforts with Cairo in the face of what he described as Turkish interference, and said that ensuring the fair distribution of the Libyan people's wealth and oil revenues, and ensuring that they are not tampered with in favor of those who called out armed militia out of the law, is a legitimate requirement of all Libyans.

For his part, Abdullah al-Madani, a spokesman for the military media, for the "Borkan Al-Fathi" operation, said that the Egyptian army "apparently did not like much the fate of (the mercenaries) of Wagner and Janjaweed in Libya."

"Let us remind them that Sinai is closer to them than Sirte and Al-Jafra, and that the Renaissance Dam is not in Libya but in Ethiopia. On the whole, there is no problem: We are waiting for them and they should consider leaving before entering."

These developments come amid Egyptian military moves near the border with Libya, the most recent of which was the "decisive 2020" maneuvers that the Egyptian army said was aimed at "eliminating mercenaries from irregular armies."

And the Al-Jazeera correspondent in Libya, Ahmed Khalifa, reported that Al-Wefaq forces located in the Sirte ocean had received reinforcements from several areas in Libya, in an indication that it was close to storming the strategic city.